With a little help from your friends.

I was talking with a client recently about the power of teams and community and that rarely, if ever does one truly do anything completely on their own - whatever it is; business success and achievement, sporting prowess... I'm currently reading Dame Kelly Holmes book 'Just go for it"- great read - and she talks a lot about supporters and those around her, be it coaches, trainers......

This week as those who know me will confirm, I've been wittering on about the Enduro ride to anyone who will listen.

Excitingly Werx and ZeroNineMX have generously agreed to do all the decals for the bikes for free - how fabulous is that! And we have another two sponsors of the bike; OceanOne boutiques and Dawson VA services. Thanks John Kettley and thanks Jim Gale and Karon! Thanks Tessa! Thanks Angela! And thanks as ever to Mr T for continuous support and encouragement - nerves have set in and it's still 200 odd days away. Eeek!

Learning for the day; I now know what rad shrouds, fenders and swing arms are - I think I've identified what the swing arms are anyway! Perhaps that's an exercise to improve my upper arm strength !! They certainly need it, that's for sure!

Positive Psychology!

This afternoon's practice was wet and very muddy though fortunately not cold. I went out on my own (first time!), I usually need a back up (husband) for when I can't kick start, drop it....can't find neutral....!

I was a bit concerned, as living in a part of Cambridgeshire that has rather a lot of clay, when it rains the mud on the top develops a mind of it's own - to my mind anyway.

However, just this morning I had received an email from John Kettley, as mentioned in previous post, which said "going out in the wet always puts a smile on my face as it's the most fun''......goodness, fun wasn't an adjective that was currently anywhere near my thought process.

There was an extremely muddy bit of track that a number of tractors had also been over so a bit carved up, rutty, muddy.....argghh.......smile and fun. Do you know what - it was! Didn't drop it or fall off or stall.....well, just the once.

On the way back through the village I also had the added bonus of seeing some girlfriends who grinned and waved!

'Decals' aren't something with which to descale the kettle!

What a learning experience the last few days has been!

Aside from everything aching that can ache - not sure that a fluffy cushion strapped to my GasGas would be that cool not to mention safe! Would be more comfy though. For those of you reading with heaps of Enduro and Off-road experience - yes I know - I should be standing up!

Met a lovely guy at the weekend, he in fact came to give us a quote on a kitchen extension but that's another story. John Kettley is a top sales trainer and also an experienced off-road and enduro rider. When he arrived I had just stalled the bike in the drive - a regular occurence!

Turns out John knows lots of people in the know and has been extremely kind in making introductions.

We have our first donation come in, which is fantastic and also our first 'corporate' (if that is the right term) sponsor is Special Little People (www.speciallittlepeople.co.uk) - a great little company that produces wonderful aromatherapy oils to help all sorts of niggles for children. I might put some of the oil to help with anxiety on the inside of my helmet !

This is where the 'decals' come in. In return for a charity donation we will put logos on helmets and/or bikes and some PR. It transpires that decals are not something with which to descale the kettle but the 'stickers' on your bike or helmet with said logo or image on - helmet ones are apparently a bit more tricky. Learning lots this week and the 'jargon' is evidently yet to come....

Practice this week has involved a little tiny bit of expleting, lots of hurting - well aching and nearly (!) crying -don't do that very often - so experience tells me I'm learning.........and still have a lot to learn........

Looks like this afternoon's session will be in the rain! Arghhhh!

Helmet hair & two stroke fumes!

210 days to go and the training has started. It appears I've chosen a good day for it - glorious blue skies and sunshine. As some of you know, I'm meant to be finishing my book this week. Hmm - distraction and inspiration combined!

Having not been on the bike since August, it has to be said I'm a bit rusty! However, I only stalled twice and didn't fall off !

As with any new skill, one has to do it (or think about it) at least 21 times to create a new neural pathway (hard and soft skills) - it seems I've mastered the kick start - practice really does make perfect however tough.

For those of you that have come across Ken Blanchard and Situational Leadership, I'm very firmly at the 'Conscious Incompetence' stage, with hugely wavering confidence.

One hour in the saddle today, however with helmet hair and the indisputable smell of two stroke fumes - best deal with that before client meeting in an hour!

With renewed vigor got the blog and charity pages up today too.

The Catalyst!

I was speaking earlier this week with a client about catalysts and that often a little catalyst can cause a big shift in behaviour, actions, a task......

This evening I was somewhat shocked to discover that I last posted to this blog in August last year....eek! Time flies as the expression goes.

The catalyst in this instance is our mate Gary. A seasoned and uber experienced enduro and trials rider (and I'm led to believe also single handedly despatched a number of mopeds to the moped garage in the sky in his youth!).

It transpires that Gary despite his extensive off-road experience doesn't have a road licence and today he took (and passed) his CBT, the big test in a week or so's time. The motivation being joining Mr T and I on our challenge! Eek - I'd better get planning.

So, the quietly thinking perhaps 'I've bitten off more than I can chew' and perhaps no-one will notice if I do a sponsored crochet instead...... the challenge is set; early September 2011, three days over the Pyrenees starting somewhere near Biarritz. I haven't been on the bike since last summer - 212 days to go!

Two stroke tale.....

My little GasGas has been in the garage for a while of late and therefore my training has 'stalled' somewhat. Been riding my 'one horse-power' Buns - a 17hh thoroughbred = around the countryside instead - causing as many aches as riding the bike. Having gorgeous little one and eight year olds on the scene means that I'm riding about once every few weeks or so for about three hours. Horse riding uses muscles that aren't generally used at other times and therefore I have turned up at clients with a slightly 'John Wayne' styley walk - possibly not the best look but hey ho. Nothing better than a long canter on a stubble field (permission sought!!).

Back to my trusty yellow GasGas - I thought my somewhat incompetent riding had 'konked' the gear box. Discovered a few weeks back that the engine had seized (Oop - expensive was my first thought) and whilst I'm a girl that is always up for a challenge - not being able to start the engine does have its limitations!!! Back to posing in my new gear but no going anywhere anytime soon!

Turns out a small bolt had vibrated loose and lodged in the crank shaft (ooo matron) and therefore jammed it! So, miraculously no major damage was done! Lovely mate Gary pulled the offending bolt out and checked my bottom end apparently, and gave it the thumbs up! So, whilst my engine is in bits - I'm having a shiny new piston put in and might even have a bit more power to get into trouble with to boot.....

Power.........

Well that was funny – just went out for weekend practice and popped a small wheelie between first and second gear just after leaving the drive - forgot that the power goes down a bit differently on a two-stroke (my GasGas) from the four-stroke (Yamaha) I was off-roading on (and off a few times!) in the Peak District! Whoops!

Watched a few episodes of the Long Way Round last night for inspiration – am inspired! I have the same Arai helmet as Charley Boorman , that must be a good sign!